Moment of Truth
by iris descent
Summary: Modern AU. She was a college girl. He was the company owner of the most prestigious business found in New York. Both worlds collide when she learns they have been arranged a marriage ever since she was born. He was older than her by five years, and had been in love with the girl ever since they met 14 years ago. Would he be able to get the girl of his dreams or lose her in the end?
1. Chapter 1

**summary: **Modern AU. She was a college girl. He was the company owner of the most prestigious business found in New York. Both worlds collide when she learns they have been arranged a marriage ever since she was born. He was older than her by five years, and had been in love with the girl ever since they met 14 years ago. Would he be able to get the girl of his dreams or lose her in the end?

**disclaimer: **I own nothing!

**notes: **I just got bored again. Modern AUs are fun. That's why I plan to type many.

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"Who –in God's name- are you, and what in the world are you doing inside my dorm?" The blonde, dressed in nothing but a white towel with floral designs, shrieked at the man wearing a formal suit for –what the blonde had guessed- a formal occasion, in which she was forcefully invited by her dear, darling father. This man was probably forced to come here and escort her to the renewed Heartfilia Mansion, too.

The man stayed silent, his eyes wide.

"Look here, guy. I'm in no shape and mood to go to another wedding, ball, feast; you name it. I am busy with my college schedule and if you don't mind –I wouldn't really care if you did, I want you out of my dorm and report to my daddy that I am sick and therefore, could not attend the occasion; period." The blonde 22-year-old crossed her arms over her voluptuous chest. With her foot tapping on the carpeted floor impatiently and her eyebrow cocked, she waited for the well-suited and handsome man to suddenly snap back to reality. A few minutes passed by. He hadn't moved. He was staring at her face, his onyx orbs trying to absorb how much she'd changed over the years and to memorize her in every way possible –to her physical flaws to her perfections.

The room –the blonde's dorm, in which the man noted- was neat. The wallpaper was the exact, same one in her room; pink roses and yellow daisies. He knew because he knew this girl. He knew her for 22 years, and it broke his heart that she couldn't remember him. It was the possibility that she was younger back then, and that he had changed in appearance ever since he left his and her hometown –Michigan- for New York. His father had urged him to study in business schools, and thus he did. The young blonde's father, were good friends with his. His family wasn't wealthy before and they had sought the help of Charles, the heir to the Heartfilia Mansion and Enterprises. Surprisingly, Charles had given Igneel –the man's father- enough money to properly educate his only son, and start a local business of his own. In time, the Dragneel Co. was born and towered over the Heartfilia Enterprises. Charles, flooded with debt, had to sell everything he owned to survive. His wife hadn't been there, nor had she ever been in their married years –for she ran away with another man. In times of great struggle, he had a daughter, sent from his ex-wife who had been pregnant even before running away with her so-called 'dream man'. Desperate, he called Igneel for a meeting. The 5-year-old Dragneel son had been there, eavesdropping on their conversation.

"_I have no more money left, nor have I got the items to pay back the debts I have earned for the past 5 years." Charles began, sitting on a wooden footstool instead of a comfortable and expensive lounge chair. A wooden table stood in between the two men, a single piece of paper on top. "I have an offer to give you, Igneel."_

"_And what is that?" The man, dressed formally in a dark blue jacket and black slacks, replied in a concerned tone._

"_A few days ago, my ex-wife had sent to me my daughter. In a card, it read that she had named our daughter, Lucy. She's merely a few months old. Along with my daughter came a crib, milk, and other essentials. I have become poor, and I cannot take care of a baby –Mine, especially. I was wondering if you could help me out." Charles said, and with a nod from Igneel, he continued on. "I am willing to sell my daughter to you. She will become your son's wife after she turns 22. If you could give me a price I will agree to; I could probably start paying off the debts and in a few years, I could send my daughter off to school. She shall have the best education, no doubt about it. She –my dear, darling Lucy- will be the best wife for your son, Natsu Dragneel."_

"_I doubt my wife would agree to that." Igneel muttered softly. Charles looked at his friend beneath the overgrown blonde hair. "Please, do it for my daughter. She's only a few months old, she still has her whole life to live through. With your son, if you allow it." The Heartfilia man pleaded. Igneel went over his thoughts, clasping his hands tightly. A few minutes had passed by. "Will 20 million jewels be enough for me to buy your daughter?" Igneel looked over his shoulder, to see if his son was out there. Little Natsu ducked behind the shadows. _

"_Yes. That'll be enough for 22 years to lapse." Charles replied, as he reached over to shake the Dragneel heir's calloused hands. "It is a deal, then." Igneel whispered, his son's destiny playing in his head. Igneel suddenly wanted to decline the offer. With a good-bye, Igneel stood up from the wooden chair and walked over to the door. He sighed, "I'll be sending the money on Monday."_

"Hello? Earth-to-guy?" A frustrated tone of voice –it was probably the sweetest sound he had ever heard- brought him back to his senses. An innocent smile graced his features, making the blonde step backward, her guard on. Her wet, blonde hair stuck to her skin, and the Dragneel son wondered when he could ever touch her in _that_ way. He coughed, and walked towards her.

"It's good to see you again after 14 years, Lucy. I'm Natsu Dragneel. Do you still remember me?" He asked, his face full of nervousness.

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**notes: **Aw yeah! Ha-ha. It's just a preview, for now. I'm contemplating whether I should continue this. I have a lot of great things in mind for this plot, and if you think I should continue, please review. I'll be counting on the reviews for assurances. **I'd like it to reach 20 for me to continue on**.

**post script: **It's me –Darkness of Summer! I just changed my penname. Hopefully, I'll be contented this time. *smiley.


	2. Chapter 2

**summary: **Modern AU. She was a college girl. He was the company owner of the most prestigious business found in New York. Both worlds collide when she learns they have been arranged a marriage ever since she was born. He was older than her by five years, and had been in love with the girl ever since they met 14 years ago. Would he be able to get the girl of his dreams or lose her in the end?

**disclaimer: **I own nothing, for your information.

**notes: **So, I was kind of mistaken with the previous chapter I've given you. I re-wrote it and double-checked it twice, don't worry. I've kept some of the paragraphs, but changed and added more. I do apologize for not being able to update any of my stories on the weekend since I stayed at my cousin's house to babysit. Anyhow, I'm 19! AHHHHH! I received so many gifts! :D By the way, I'd like to give my appreciation to those who reviewed the previous chapter. :)

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Lucy Heartfilia didn't like to be messed with.

Who exactly was this idiot to mention and portray her 'childhood friend' who ran off somewhere with his family and never returned for years? Did this heartless man want her to claw his eyes out with her perfect nails? Sure, they've got the same hair and eye color, but Natsu had never contacted the blonde. He hadn't even thought of sending a letter, even an email for Christ's sake. The blonde remembered crying for days, screaming at her father to contact Igneel so she could talk to Natsu. The sad thing was Igneel never answered his phone. The blonde had, at first, thought she could never overcome the sense of loneliness and abandonment. She wept for continuous days and nights, never made any friends at school and in the community. The 8-year-old Lucy thought she couldn't move on, not until the mysterious Gray Fullbuster became her friend. In preschool, they would play and eat together. Middle school came and went, and they've done the same things. High school hit both of them hard, when Gray confessed he was in a relationship with Juvia and she didn't like seeing them talking. Lucy was back to square one, but she made some friends over the years –some girls named Levy and Lisanna who thought of nothing but boys. They had boyfriends, and Lucy was the only one without. She had one once –a nice guy with brown hair and green eyes- but she never did experience that 'special spark' Lisanna had talked about once. Lucy had found him annoying, so she called it quits. The blonde had grown to hate the pink haired boy.

The man who portrayed 'Natsu Dragneel' coughed twice, bringing Lucy back to reality and the situation they were both in. The 22-year-old blonde rolled her eyes and snorted in an unlady-like way that the man 'Natsu' found amusing. "What do you think of me? An idiot? You're probably wearing contact lenses and dyed your hair so you could fool me! My childhood friend hadn't as much as sent a letter or an email when he left for upstate New York and left me alone in Michigan. For all I know, he could be sleeping in a coffin!" The blonde exclaimed, walking towards the closet on the left. She pulled out a baggy yellow sweater, shorts, and a matching set of undergarments. The older man's eyes trailed down her wet body, and he found himself licking his lips. He shook his head and immediately looked away as she dried herself. "C'mon Lucy, you perfectly know it's me." The man 'Natsu' said defensively, trying to control himself before he could pounce on the girl. "I'm sorry I haven't sent anything, I didn't know you still lived in the same address. My father tried to make me forget, but I couldn't." The pink haired 27-year-old sighed, locking eyes with a blonde who was dressed. Her hair was tied into a messy bun, a few wet strands of her hair framing her thin and pale face. She grabbed a brown purse from her bed as she hopped on one foot to the other –putting on her sneakers.

"Uhuh, whatever you say, '_Natsu_'." Lucy walked past the pink haired man, their shoulders brushing the other. She was reaching for the doorknob when the man 'Natsu' grabbed ahold of her shoulder and tugged gently and roughly at the same time. He pinned her against the door, his face centimeters away from her own. She had her arms above her head and the blonde began to think of ways on escaping and calling for help. Contemplating whether she should scream or seduce the man, 'Natsu' leaned down to give a light kiss on her plump, pink lips. Lucy's brown orbs widened as a moment of silence passed between them. _One, two, three, four, five..._

The only sound heard were the muffled chirping of the birds from outside the closed window and the occasional shuffling of feet from the dorm's hallway. Chatter was heard from the other side of the door and the college student knew it could be her last hope –she stayed at the last room on the hallway. The blonde took a deep breath and fluttered her eyes closed. _Six, seven, eight, nine, ten..._

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The blonde shrieked ferociously at his ear.

The man 'Natsu' cringed slightly, his grip tightening around her wrists. When she glared at him and remained silent, he gave her a cocky grin as he licked both of his lips. The blonde had to admit, it felt... good. She felt a soft spark somewhere but Lucy had a big pride; she wouldn't fall for this stupid, arrogant, handsome young man. _Ever._ Lucy would choose to be burned to the stake over cuddling with him on the couch. "Your father wanted me to escort you back to the Heartfilia Mansion. Would that be okay? With you, I mean." The pink haired 27-year-old said, a soft and innocent smile on his face. His grip around her wrists had gone gentle; Lucy stared at him with fire in her eyes, she wasn't used to being with her father. The blonde remembered being so happy after she graduated high school; Lucy would be able to leave the lonely and dark and creepy mansion she called home for so many years. Sighing, Lucy blinked twice and squirmed in his hold. "What choice do I have?"

"None."

"Exactly, shit-head."

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**notes: **I'll make sure to make the 3rd chapter a longer one. :) So, please read and review!


	3. Note

**Dear Reader,**

**I'd like to let you know that I've rewritten chapter 2. Please check that out. **

**And, this note would be replaced once I put up the 3****rd**** chapter. **

**Thank you for understanding.**

**Love, **

**Melissa . Shadow Crusade**


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